


Similar(?)

by SerialKillerQueen



Series: Difficult Girl(s) [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Family Issues, Gen, Hopeful Ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Internalized Misogyny, NOT a bashing fic, Self-Reflection, Sexism, do not copy to another site, max's pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 23:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20380138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerialKillerQueen/pseuds/SerialKillerQueen
Summary: Max has some uncomfortable realizations about his relationship with (and to) his step family.





	Similar(?)

**Author's Note:**

> Stranger Things and its characters do not belong to me. All rights go to their respective owners.

These car rides are more awkward than ever before.

Max honestly hadn't expected that would be the end result when he'd sedated and threatened Billie, he hadn't had some plan there though, had just reacted to her smashing a plate over Stephanie's head and then bouncing said head off the wall. He hadn't been willing to let it go further.

He hadn't thought ahead at all, but when he'd seen how subdued Billie had gotten he thought things would be... tolerable?

But in some ways it's worse. 

It's like he doesn't _exist_ to her anymore. She barely meets his gaze, barely speaks to him, keeps her music off when he's in the car, and she doesn't argue about taking him places (but some times she just doesn't answer when he knocks on her door, and he's not willing to go to "their" parents about it, not when they'd finally gotten home after the shit show at the Byers and the tunnels and he'd seen Neil slap her so hard she lost her footing, he's known Neil and her weren't on good terms but he didn't think it was... like that, her face had been so completely _not_ surprised though that he'd been forced to realize this wasn't anything new).

It's like she's so utterly set on ignoring him that _she's_ not really there when he is.

It's like - 

It hits him.

It's kind of like how she is around Neil.

She responds to Neil if he talks to her, usually in a very bland tone, and nothing more than is required. But she never acts like _Billie_ when Neil is around. She always dresses like a girl, she keeps her music turned down, there's nothing to her, she's nothing but politeness to the point of being robotic.

She's never really been like that around him though. She's worn her boy (or whatever) clothes, her earring, played her music, and definitely given him shit or hit him on the back of the head.

But he's not like Neil! 

He never did anything to hurt Billie until she slapped Luca and it seemed like she was trying to _kill_ Stephanie!

But... he hasn't ever defended her either. Never protested when Neil sneered at her appearance, yelled at her, or when kids at school laughed about his 'slut sister.' Has said the same kind of things any time they fought.

Don't get him wrong, Billie and him never got along, they'd been neutral at best, and neither of them had really tried to change that. But now that he knows about Neil... Billie sees him the same way doesn't she? Another guy who didn't understand the way she chose to look, who mocked her for it, who hurt and threatened her.

He's not sorry he stopped Billie, but he didn't think of it that way before, didn't think he had anything in common with a guy who hit his own kid.

And it _bothers him._

It bothers him a _lot._

**Author's Note:**

> This is another fic I feel could be controversial, like I'm demonizing Max to make Billie look better. I really want to emphasize that's not the point or idea here. What Max did (and what canon Max did) to Billie/Billy is completely justified as far as I'm concerned, I'm all about defending yourself or others. In this fic though, with the changed genders and the things that come with it, it's not that simple. I don't think Billy associates his little sister with Neil at all, but Billie, who's heard Max regurgitate the same things her dad (and other men) have always said about her? It feels far to similar, especially when violence gets involved.  
And since we're in Max's head, I also don't think Billie's scared of him so much as she's written him off, he's Neil 2.0 to her now (even though she knows she pushed him to act). Keep in mind neither Billie nor Max's thought process is PERFECT, they're meant to be flawed individuals who are unreliable narrators to a TINY degree. And hey, who says things can't change between them? (Also the whole “girl/boy clothes” thing is from a young and skewed perspective as well, as I said in the first fic I support people dressing as they like).  
  
I made a mycast for this verse please check it for reference!  
https://www.mycast.io/stories/p/mLM9vESd2bfJh7lY0s6o5g  
  
My friend has some pics you can use as reference for how Billie dresses!  
https://foxgirlontherun.tumblr.com/post/187242144091/ootd-inspired-by-billy-hargrove-again-thrifted  
https://foxgirlontherun.tumblr.com/post/187102035896/todays-look-was-inspired-by-billy-hargrove-and-my


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